I heard that there’s a link between artificial sweeteners and weight gain. Can that be true?
We know that to lose weight we have to take in less calories than we burn, and non-caloric artificial sweeteners help, right? After all, if we eat low-calorie foods we can lose weight without counting calories, right? I know, I’m stirring up more questions instead of looking at the link between artificial sweeteners and weight gain. But the questions are worth asking because there is a link.
Research has shown that rats fed yogurt sweetened with glucose (15 calories per teaspoon) ate less calories overall than rats who were fed yogurt sweetened with saccharin. The second group of rats actually gained more weight and body fat. Researchers concluded that no-calorie artificial sweeteners make it more difficult for people to control their eating and their weight! Yikes!
Before I say more, I know there is a place for artificial sweeteners. In a recent study published in the International Journal of Obesity, artificial sweeteners were shown to work in helping people keep weight off–people on a low-calorie diet. People who know how many calories they are taking in and sticking to a plan.
If you’re not one to count calories, I can’t put it any better than Dr. David Katz when he told Oprah, “My particular concern is that artificial sweeteners are 200 to 13,000 times as sweet as sugar, and that is a potent stimulus for turning a sweet tooth into a fang.”
The key seems to be moderation. If you’re going to use artificial sweeteners, then do so reasonably, because the sweetness makes our bodies think there will be calories coming and when the food doesn’t deliver, the body looks for more calories. Before you know it, you’re eating those calories. This is the link between artificial sweeteners and weight gain. It is real.
October 16th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Artificial sweeteners cause weight gain? Should I avoid them at all costs?
Should I avoid consuming artificial sweeteners as much as possible?
I was reading about this online, and I read several articles saying that artificial sweeteners of all kinds cause weight gain because they confuse the body’s metabolism.
Apparently they did studies on rats and found that the rats who were fed yogurt w/ artificial sweeteners gained more weight than those who ate the same amount of yogurt, though containing real sugar.
So basically, the rats who consumed less calories gained more weight because of these artificial sweeteners.
So, I was wondering if I should try to cut out as much artificial sweetened foods/drinks from my diet as I can?
Or is a little bit okay?
October 17th, 2009 at 3:53 am
Artificial sweeteners are…well–artificial! You should try Stevia.
It’s all natural and no calories unlike real sugar.
Read more here…
References :
http://www.candidity.org/stevia.htm